Part 11
Verse 1 and 2. "And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of
Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called,
and his disciples, to the marriage." By our Lord's being at a feast we
may learn, that feasting upon solemn occasions is not absolutely
unlawful: but then we must be exceeding careful at such seasons, that
the occasion be solemn, and that we go not for the sake of eating and
drinking, but to edify one another in love. Feasting in any other
manner, I think absolutely unlawful for the followers of Jesus Christ:
because if we eat and drink out of any other view, it cannot be to the
glory of God. The Son of man, we know, "came eating and drinking." If a
Pharisee asked him to come to his house, our Lord went, and sat down
with him. But then we find his discourse was always such as tended to
the use of edifying. We may then, no doubt, go and do likewise.
We may observe farther, that if our Lord was present at a marriage
feast, then, to deny marriage to any order of men, is certainly a
"doctrine of devils." "Marriage (says the Apostle) is honorable in
all." Our Lord graced a marriage feast with his first public miracle.
It was an institution of God himself, even in paradise: and therefore,
no doubt, lawful for all Christians, even for those who are made
perfect in holiness through the faith of Jesus Christ. But then, we may
learn the reason why we have so many unhappy marriages in the world; it
is because the parties concerned do not call Jesus Christ by prayer,
nor ask the advice of his true disciples when they are about to marry.
No; Christ and religion are the last things that are consulted; and no
wonder then if matches of the devil's making (as all such are, which
are contracted only on account of outward beauty, or for filthy lucre's
sake) prove most miserable, and grievous to be borne.
I cannot but dwell a little on this particular, because I am persuaded
the devil cannot lay a greater snare for young Christians, than to
tempt them unequally to yoke themselves with unbelievers; as are all
who are not born again of God. This was the snare wherein the sons of
God were entangled before the flood, and one great cause why God
brought that flood upon the world. For what says Moses, Gen 6:2, 3,
"The sons of God (the posterity of pious Seth) saw the daughters of
men, (or the posterity of wicked Cain) that they were fair, (not that
they were pious) and they took them wives of all which they chose:" not
which God chose for them. What follows? "And the Lord saith, My spirit
shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh;" that is,
even the few righteous souls being now grown carnal by their ungodly
marriages, the whole world was altogether become abominable, and had
made themselves vessels of wrath fitted for destruction. I might
instance farther, the care the ancient patriarchs took to choose wives
for their children out of their own religious families, and it was one
great mark of Esau's rebellion against his father, that he took unto
himself wives of the daughters of the Canaanites, who were strangers to
the covenant of promise made unto his fathers. But I forbear. Time will
not permit me to enlarge here. Let it suffice to advise all, whenever
they enter into a marriage state, to imitate the people of Cana in
Galilee, to call Christ to the marriage; He certainly will hear and
choose for you; and you will always find his choice to be the best. He
then will direct you to such yoke-fellows as shall be helps meet for
you in the great work of your salvation, and then he will also enable
you to serve him without distraction, and cause you to walk, as Zachary
and Elizabeth, in all his commandments and ordinances blameless.
But to proceed. Who these persons were that called our Lord and his
disciples to the marriage, is not certain. Some (because it is said,
that the mother of Jesus was there) have supposed that they were
related to the Virgin, and that therefore our Lord and his disciples
were invited on her account. However that be, it should seem they were
not very rich, (for what had rich folks to do with a despised Jesus of
Nazareth, and his mean followers?) because we find they were
unfurnished with a sufficient quantity of wine for a large company, and
therefore, "when they wanted wind, the mother of Jesus," having, as it
should seem by her applying to him so readily on this occasion, even in
his private life, seen some instances of his miraculous power, "saith
unto him, They have no wine." She thought is sufficient only to inform
him of the wants of the host, knowing that he was as ready to give as
she to ask. In this light the blessed Virgin's request appears to us at
the first view; but if we examine our Lord's answer, we shall have
reason to think there was something which was not right; for Jesus
saith unto her, ver. 4, "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" Observe,
he calls her woman, not mother; to show her, that though she was his
mother, as he was man, yet she was his creature, as he was God. "What
have I to do with thee?" Think you that I must work miracles at your
bidding? Some have thought that she spoke as though she had an
authority over him, which was a proud motion, and our Lord therefore
checks her for it, And if Jesus Christ would not turn a little water
into wine, whilst he was here on earth, at her command, how idolatrous
is that church, and how justly do we separate from her, which
prescribes forms, wherein the Virgin is desired to command her Son to
have compassion on us!
But notwithstanding the holy Virgin was blamable in this respect, yet
she hath herein set rich and poor an example which it is your duty to
follow. You that are rich, and live in cieled houses, learn of her to
go into the cottages of the poor; your Lord was not above it, and why
should you? And when you do visit them, like the virgin-mother, examine
their wants; and when you see they have no wine, and are ready to
perish with hunger, shut not up your bowels of compassion, but bless
the Lord for putting it in your power to administer to their
necessities. Believe me, such visits would do you good. You would learn
then to be thankful that God has given you bread enough, and to spare.
And I am persuaded, every mite that you bestow on feeding the hungry
and clothing the naked disciples of Jesus Christ, will afford you more
satisfaction at the hour of death, and in the day of judgment, than all
the thousands squandered away in balls and assemblies, and such like
entertainments.
You that are poor in this world's goods, and thereby are disabled from
helping, yet you may learn from the Virgin, to pray for one another.
She could not turn the water into wine, but she could entreat her son
to do it: and so may you; and doubt not of the Lord's hearing you; for
God has chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith: and by your
servant prayers, you may draw down many a blessing on your poor fellow
creatures. O that I may ever be remembered by you before the throne of
our dear Lord Jesus! But what shall we say? Will our Lord entirely
disregard this motion of his mother? No; though he check her with,
"Woman, what have I to do with thee?" yet he intimates that he would do
as she desired by-and-by; "Mine hour is not yet come." As though he had
said, The wine is almost, but not quite out; when they are come to an
extremity, and sensible of the want of my assistance, then will I show
forth my glory, that they may behold it, and believe on me.
Thus, Sirs, hath our Lord been frequently pleased to deal with me, and,
I doubt not, with many of you also. Often, often when I have found his
presence as it were hidden from my soul, and his comforts well nigh
gone, I have went unto him complaining that I had no visit and token of
his love, as usual. Sometimes he has seemed to turn a deaf ear to my
request, and as it were said, "What have I to do with thee?" which has
made me go sorrowing all the day long; so foolish was I, and faithless
before him: for I have always found he loved me notwithstanding, as he
did Lazarus, though he stayed two days after he heard he was sick. But
when my hour of extremity has been come, and my will broken, then hath
he lifted up the light of his blessed countenance afresh; he has showed
forth his glory, and made me ashamed for disbelieving him, who often
hath turned my water into wine. Be not then discouraged, if the Lord
does not immediately seem to regard the voice of your prayer, when you
cry unto him. The holy Virgin we find was not; no, she was convinced
his time was the best time, and therefore, verse 5, "saith unto the
servants, (O that we could follow her advice!) whatsoever he saith unto
you, do it."
And now, behold the hour is come, when the eternal Son of God will show
forth his glory. The circumstance of the miracle is very remarkable;
ver. 6, "And there were set six water-pots of water, after the manner
of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins a-piece."
The manner of this purifying we have an account of in the other
Evangelist, especially St. Mark, who informs us, that the Pharisees,
and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not; and when
they come from the market, except they wash they eat not. This was a
superstitious custom; but, however , we may learn from it, whenever we
come in from conversing with those that are without, to purify our
hearts by self-examination and prayer; for it is hard to go through the
world, and to be kept unspotted from it.
Observe further, verse 7. "Jesus saith unto them," not to his own
disciples, but unto the servants of the house, who were strangers to
the holy Jesus, and whom the virgin had before charged to do whatsoever
he said unto them; "Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled
them to the brim. And he saith unto them, draw out now, and bear to the
governor of the feast. And they bear it." How our Lord turned the water
into wine we are not told. What have we to do with that? Why should we
desire to be wise above what is written? It is sufficient for the
manifestation of his glorious godhead, that we are assured he did do
it. For we are told, verse 9, 10, "When the ruler of the feast had
tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was (but
the servants that drew the water knew) the governor of the feast called
the bridegroom, and saith unto him, every man at the beginning doth set
forth good wine, and when they have well drank, that which is worse;
but thou hast kept the good wine until now."
To explain this passage, you must observe, it was the custom of the
Jews, nay even of the heathens themselves, (to the shame of our
Christian baptized heathens be it spoken) at their public feasts to
choose a governor, who was to ever see and regulate the behavior of the
guests, and to take care that all things were carried on with decency
and order. To this person then did the servants bear the wine; and we
may judge how rich it was by his commendation of it, "Every man at the
beginning, &c." Judge ye then, whether Jesus did not show forth his
glory, and whether you have not good reason, like the disciple here
mentioned, to believe on him?
Thus, my brethren, I have endeavored to make some observations on the
miracle itself. But alas! this is only the outward court thereof, the
veil is yet before our eyes; turn that aside, and we shall see such
mysteries under it, as will make our hearts to dance for joy, and fill
our mouths with praise for evermore!
But here I cannot help remarking what a sad inference one of our
masters of Israel, in a printed sermon, has lately drawn from this
commendation of the bridegroom. His words are these. "Our blessed
Savior came eating and drinking, was present at weddings, and other
entertainments, (though I hear of his being only at one;) nay, at one
of them (which I suppose is that of which I am now discoursing) worked
a miracle to make wine, when it is plain there had been more drank than
was absolutely necessary for the support of nature, and consequently
something had been indulged to pleasure and cheerfulness."
I am sorry such words should come from the mouth and pen of a dignified
clergyman of the Church of England. Alas! how is she fallen! or at
least, in what danger must her tottering ark be, when such unhallowed
hands are stretched out to support it! Well may I bear patiently to be
stiled a blasphemer, and a setter forth of strange doctrine, when my
dear Lord Jesus is thus traduced; and when those who pretend to preach
in his name, urge this example to patronize licentiousness and excess.
It is true (as I observed at the beginning of this discourse) our
blessed Savior did come eating and drinking; he was present at a
wedding, and other entertainments; nay, at one of them worked a miracle
to make wine, (you see I have been making some observations on it) but
then it is not plain there had been more wine drank than was absolutely
necessary for the support of nature; much less does it appear, that
something had been indulged to pleasure and cheerfulness.
The governor does indeed say, "When men have well drunken," but it no
where appears that they were the men. Is it to be supposed, that the
most holy and unspotted Lamb of God, who was manifested to destroy the
works of the devil, and who, when at a Pharisee's house, took notice of
even the gestures of those with whom he sat at meat; is it to be
supposed, that our dear Redeemer, whose constant practice it was to
tell people they must deny themselves, and take up their crosses daily;
who bid his disciples to take heed, lest at any time their hearts might
be over-charged with surfeiting and drunkenness; can it be supposed,
that such a self-denying Jesus should now turn six large water-pots of
water into the richest wine, to encourage excess and drunkenness in
persons, who, according to this writer, had indulged to pleasure and
cheerfulness already? Had our Lord sat by, and seen them indulge,
without telling them of it, would it not be a sin? But to insinuate he
not only did this, but also turned water into wine, to increase that
indulgence; this is making Christ a minister of sin indeed. What is
this, but using him like the Pharisees of old, who called him a
glutton, and a wine-bibber? Alas! how may we expect our dear Lord's
enemies will treat him, when he is thus wounded in the house of his
seeming friends? Sirs, if you follow such doctrine as this, you will
not be righteous, but I am persuaded you will be wicked over-much.
But God forbid you should think our Lord behaved so much unlike himself
in this matter. No, he had nobler ends in view, when he wrought this
miracle. One, the evangelist mentions in the words of the text, "to
show forth his glory," or to give a proof of his eternal power and
godhead.
Here seems to be an allusion to the appearance of God in the
tabernacle, which this same evangelist takes notice of in his first
chapter, where he says, "The Word (Jesus Christ) was made flesh, and
dwelt (or, as it is rendered in the margin, tabernacled) amongst us."
Our dear Lord, though very God of very God, and also most perfect and
glorious in himself as man, was pleased to throw a veil of flesh over
this his great glory, when he came to make his soul an offering for
sin. And that the world might know and believe in him as the Savior of
all men, he performed many miracles, and this in particular; for thus
speaks the evangelist, "This first," &c.
This then was the chief design of our Lord's turning the water into
wine. But there are more which our Lord may be supposed to have had in
view, some of which I shall proceed to mention.
Secondly, he might do this to reward the hose for calling him and his
disciples to the marriage. Jesus Christ will not be behind-hand with
those who receive him or his followers, for his name's sake. Those who
thus honor him, he will honor. A cup of cold water given in the name of
a disciple, shall in no wise lose its reward. He will turn water into
wine. Though those who abound in alms-deeds, out of a true faith in,
and love for Jesus, may seem as it were to throw their bread upon the
waters, yet they shall find it again after many days. For they who give
to the poor out of this principle, lend unto the Lord; and look,
whatsoever they lay out, it shall be repaid them again. Even in this
life, God often orders good measure pressed down and running over, to
be returned into his servants bosoms. It is the same in spirituals. To
him that hath, and improves what he hath, for the sake of Christ and
his disciples, shall be given, and he shall have abundance. Brethren, I
would not boast; but, to my master's honor and free grace be it spoken,
I can prove this to be true by happy experience. When I have considered
that I am a child, and cannot speak, and have seen so many of you come
out into the wilderness to be fed, I have often said within myself,
what can I do with my little stock of grace and knowledge among so
great a multitude? But, at my Lord's command, I have given you to eat
of such spiritual food as I had, and before I have done speaking, have
had my soul richly fed with the bread which cometh down from heaven.
Thus shall it be done to all such who are willing to spend and be spent
for Christ or his disciples; for there is no respect of persons with
God.
Thirdly, Our Lord's turning the water, which was poured out so
plentifully, into wine, is a sign of the plentiful pouring out of his
Spirit into the hearts of believers. The holy Spirit is in scripture
compared unto wine; and therefore the prophet calls us to buy wine as
well as milk, that is, the spirit of love, which fills and gladdens the
soul as it were with new wine. The apostle alludes to this, when he
bids the Ephesians "not to be drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but
be filled with the Spirit." And our Lord shows us thus much by choosing
wine; to show forth the strength and refreshment of his blood, in the
blessed sacrament. I know these terms are unintelligible to natural
men, they can no more understand me, than if I spoke to them in an
unknown tongue, for they are only to be spiritually discerned. To you
then that are spiritual do I speak, to you who are justified by faith,
and feel the blessed Spirit of Jesus Christ working upon your hearts,
you can judge of what I say; you have already (I am persuaded) been as
it were filled with new wine by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit. But
alas! you have not yet had half your portion; thee are only earnests,
and in comparison but shadows of good things to come; our Lord keeps
his best wine for you till the last; and though you have drank deep of
it already, yet he intends to give you more: He will not leave you,
till he has filled you to the brim, till you are ready to cry out,
Lord, stay thine hand, thy poor creatures can hold no more! Be not
straitened in your own bowels, since Jesus Christ is not straitened in
his. Open your hearts as wide as ever you will, the Spirit of the Lord
shall fill them. Christ deals with true believers, as Elijah did with
the poor woman, whose oil increased, to pay her husband's debts; as
long as she brought pitchers, the oil continued. It did not cease till
she ceased bringing vessels to contain it. My brethren, our hearts are
like those pitchers; open them freely by faith, and the oil of God's
free gift, the oil of gladness, the love of God through Christ, shall
be continually pouring in; for believers are to be filled with all the
fullness of God.
Fourthly, Our Lord's turning water into wine, and keeping the best
until last, may show forth the glory of the latter days of his marriage
feast with his church. Great things God has done already, whereat
millions of saints have rejoiced, and do yet rejoice. Great things God
is doing now, but yet, my brethren, we shall see greater things than
these. It is meet, right, and our bounden duty, to give thanks unto
God, even the Father; for many righteous men have desired to see the
things which we see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things
which we hear, and have not heard them. But still there are more
excellent things behind. Glorious things are spoken of these times,
"when the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the
waters cover the sea." There is a general expectation among the people
of God, when the partition-wall between Jew and Gentile shall be broken
down, and all Israel be saved. Happy those who live when God does this.
They shall see Satan, like lightning, fall from heaven. They shall not
weep, as the Jews did at the building of the second temple. No, they
shall rejoice with exceeding great joy. For all the former glory of the
Christian church shall be nothing in comparison of that glory which
shall excel. Then shall they cry out with the governor of the feast,
"thou hast kept thy good wine until now!"
Fifthly, and lastly, This shows us the happiness of that blessed state,
when we shall all sit together at the marriage supper of the Lamb, and
drink of the new wine in his eternal and glorious kingdom!
The rewards which Jesus Christ confers on his faithful servants, and
the comforts of his love wherewith he comforts them, whilst pilgrims
here on earth, are often so exceeding great, that was it not promised,
it were almost presumption for them to hope for any reward hereafter.
But, my brethren, all the manifestations of God that we can possibly be
favored with here, when compared with the glory that is to be revealed
in us, are no more than a drop of water when compared with an unbounded
ocean. Though Christ frequently fills his saints even to the brim, yet
their corruptible bodies weigh down their souls, and cause them to cry,
"Who shall deliver us from these bodies of death?" These earthly
tabernacles can hold no more: But, blessed be God, these earthly
tabernacles are to be dissolved; this corruptible is to put on
incorruption; this mortal is to put on immortality: and when God shall
cause all his glory to pass before us, then shall we cry out, Lord,
thou hast kept thy good wine until now. We have drank deeply of thy
spirit; we have heard glorious things spoken of this thy city, O God!
but we now find, that not the half, not the thousandth part hath been
told us. O the invisible realities of the world of faith! Eye hath not
seen, ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of the
greatest saint to conceive how Christ will show forth his glory there!
St. Paul, who was carried up into the third heavens, could give us
little or no account of it. And well he might not -- for he heard and
saw such things as is not possible for a man clothed with flesh and
blood to utter. Whilst I am thinking, and only speaking of those things
unto you, I am almost carried beyond myself. Methinks, I now receive
some little foretastes of that new wine which I hope to drink with you
in the heavenly kingdom for ever and ever.
And wherefore do you think I have been saying these things? Many,
perhaps, may be ready to say, To manifest thy own vain-glory. But it is
a small matter with me to be judged of man's judgment. He that judgeth
me is the Lord. He knows that I have spoken of his miracle, only for
the same end for which he at first performed it, and which I at first
proposed, that is, "to show forth his glory," that you also may be
brought to believe on him.
Did I come to preach myself, and not Christ Jesus my Lord, I would come
to you, not in this plainness of speech, but with the enticing words of
man's wisdom. Did I desire to please natural men, I need not preach
here in the wilderness. I hope my heart aims at nothing else, than what
our Lord's great fore-runner aimed at, and which ought to be the
business of every gospel minister, that is, to point out to you the
God-man Christ Jesus. "Behold then (by faith behold) the Lamb of God,
who taketh away the sins of the world." Look unto him, and be saved.
You have heard how he manifested, and will yet manifest his glory to
true believers; and why then, O sinners, will you not believe in him? I
say, O sinners, for now I have spoken to the saints, I have many things
to say to you. And may God give you all an hearing ear, and an obedient
heart!
The Lord Jesus who showed forth his glory above 1700 years ago, has
made a marriage feast, and offers to espouse all sinners to himself,
and to make them flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone. He is
willing to be united to you by one spirit. In every age, at sundry
times, and after divers manners, he hath sent forth his servants, and
they had bidden many, but yet, my brethren, there is room. The Lord
therefore now has given a commission in these last days to others of
his servants, even to compel poor sinners by the cords of love to come
in. For our master's house must and shall be filled. He will not shed
his gracious blood in vain. Come then, come to the marriage. Let this
be the day of your espousals with Jesus Christ, he is willing to
receive you, though other lords have had dominion over you. Come then
to the marriage. Behold the oxen and fathngs are killed, and all
things are ready; let me hear you say, as Rebecca did, when they asked
her, whether she would go and be a wife to Isaac; O let me hear you
say, we will come. Indeed you will not repent it. The Lord shall turn
your water into wine. He shall fill your souls with marrow and fatness,
and cause you to praise him with joyful lips.
Do not say, you are miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, and
therefore ashamed to come, for it is to such that this invitation is
not sent. The polite, the rich, the busy, self-righteous Pharisees of
this generation have been bidden already, but they have rejected the
counsel of God against themselves. They are too deeply engaged in
going, one to his country house, another to his merchandise. They are
so deeply wedded to the pomps and vanities of this wicked world, that
they, as it were with one consent, have made excuse. And though they
have been often called in their own synagogues, yet all the return they
make, is to thrust us out, and thereby in effect say, they will not
come. But God forbid, my brethren, that you should learn of them; no,
since our Lord condescends to call first, (because if left to
yourselves you would never call after him) let me beseech you to answer
him, as he answered for you, when called upon by infinite offended
justice to die for you sins, "Lo! I come to do thy will, O God!" What
if you are miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, that is no
excuse; faith is the only wedding garment which Christ requires; he
does not call you because you already are, but because he intends to
make you saints. It pities him to see you naked. He wants to cover you
with his righteousness. In short, he desires to show forth his glory,
that is, his free love through your faith in him. Not but that he will
be glorified, whether you believe in him or not; for the infinitely
free love of Jesus Christ will be ever the same, whether you believe
it, or so receive it, or the contrary. But our Lord will not always
send out his servants in vain, to call you; the time will come when he
will say, None of those which were bidden, and would not come, shall
taste of my supper. Our Lord is a God of justice, as well as of love;
and if sinners will not take hold of his golden scepter, verily he will
bruise them with his iron rod. It is for your sakes, O sinners, and not
his own, that he thus condescends to invite you: suffer him then to
show forth his glory, even the glory of the exceeding riches of his
free grace, by believing on him, "For we are saved by grace through
faith." It was grace, free grace, that moved the Father so to love the
world, as to "give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish, but have everlasting life!" It was grace, that
made the Son to come down and die. It was grace, free grace, that moved
the Holy Ghost to undertake to sanctify the elect people of God: and it
was grace, free grace, that moved our Lord Jesus Christ to send forth
his ministers to call poor sinners this day. Let me not then, my
brethren, go without my errand. Why will you not believe in him? Will
the devil do such great and good things for you as Christ will? No
indeed, he will not. Perhaps, he may give you to drink at first of a
little brutish pleasure; but what will he give you to drink as last? a
cup of fury and of trembling; a never-dying worm, a self-condemning
conscience, and the bitter pains of eternal death. But as for the
servants of Jesus Christ, it is not so with them. No, he keeps his best
wine till the last. And though he may cause you to drink of the brook
in the way to heaven, and of the cup of affliction, yet he sweetens it
with a sense of his goodness, and makes it pleasant drink, such as
their souls do love. I appeal to the experience of any saint here
present, (as I doubt not but there are many such in this field) whether
Christ has not proved faithful, ever since you have been espoused to
him? Has he not showed forth his glory, ever since you have believed on
him?
And now, sinners, what have you to object? I see you are all silent,
and well you may. For if you will not be drawn by the cords of infinite
and everlasting love, what will draw you? I could urge many terrors of
the Lord to persuade you; but if the love of Jesus Christ will not
constrain you, your case is desperate. Remember then this day I have
invited all, even the worst of sinners, to be married to the Lord
Jesus. If you perish, remember you do not perish for lack of
invitation. You yourselves shall stand forth at the last day, and I
here give you a summons to meet me at the judgment seat of Christ, and
to clear both my master and me. Would weeping, would tears prevail on
you, I could wish my head were waters, and my eyes fountains of tears,
that I might weep out every argument, and melt you into love. Would any
thing I could do or suffer, influence your hearts, I think I could bear
to pluck out my eyes, or even to lay down my life for your sakes. Or
was I sure to prevail on you by importunity, I could continue my
discourse till midnight, I would wrestle with you even till the morning
watch, as Jacob did with the angel, and would not go away till I had
overcome. But such power belongeth only unto the Lord, I can only
invite; it is He only can work in you both to will and to do after his
good pleasure; it is his property to take away the heart of stone, and
give you a heart of flesh; it is his spirit that must convince you of
unbelief, and of the everlasting righteousness of his dear Son; it is
He alone must give faith to apply his righteousness to your hearts; it
is He alone can give you a wedding garment, and bring you to sit down
and drink new wine in his kingdom. As to spirituals we are quite dead,
and have no more power to turn to God of ourselves, than Lazarus had to
raise himself, after he had lain stinking in the grave four days. If
thou canst go, O man, and breathe upon all the dry bones that lie in
the graves, and bid them live; if thou canst take thy mantle and divide
yonder river, as Elijah did the river Jordan; then will we believe thou
hast a power to turn to God of thyself: But as thou must despair of the
one, so thou must despair of the other, without Christ's quickening
grace; in him is thy only help; fly to him then by faith; say unto him,
as the poor leper did, "Lord, if thou wilt," thou canst make me
willing; and he will stretch forth the right-hand of his power to
assist and relieve you: He will sweetly guide you by his wisdom on
earth, and afterwards take you up to partake of his glory in heaven.
To his mercy therefore, and Almighty protection, do I earnestly,
humbly, and most affectionately commit you: the Lord bless you and keep
you; the Lord lift up the light of his blessed countenance upon you,
and give you all peace and joy in believing, now and for evermore!
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The Duty of Searching the Scriptures
John 5:39 -- "Search the Scriptures."
When the Sadducees came to our blessed Lord, and put to him the
question, "whose wife that woman should be in the next life, who had
seven husbands in this," he told them "they erred, not knowing the
scriptures." And if we would know whence all the errors, that have
over-spread the church of Christ, first arose, we should find that, in
a great measure, they flowed from the same fountain, ignorance of the
word of God.
Our blessed Lord, though he was the eternal God, yet as man, he made
the scriptures his constant rule and guide. And therefore, when he was
asked by the lawyer, which was the great commandment of the law, he
referred him to his Bible for an answer, "What readest thou?" And thus,
when led by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil, he repelled all his
assaults, with "it is written."
A sufficient confutation this, of their opinion, who say, "the Spirit
only, and not the Spirit by the Word, is to be our rule of action." If
so, our Savior, who had the Spirit without measure, needed not always
have referred to the written word.
But how few copy after the example of Christ? How many are there who do
not regard the word of God at all, but throw the sacred oracles aside,
as an antiquated book, fit only for illiterate men?
Such do greatly err, not knowing what the scriptures are, I shall,
therefore,
First, Show, that it is every one's duty to search them.
And Secondly, Lay down some directions for you to search them with
advantage.
I. I am to show, that it is every person's duty to search the
Scriptures.
By the Scriptures, I understand the law and the prophets, and those
books which have in all ages been accounted canonical, and which make
up that volume commonly called the Bible.
These are emphatically stiled the Scriptures, and, in one place, the
"Scriptures of Truth," as though no other books deserved the name of
true writings or scripture in comparison of them.
They are not of any private interpretation, authority, or invention,
but holy men of old wrote them, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
The fountain of God's revealing himself thus to man-kind, was our fall
in Adam, and the necessity of our new birth in Christ Jesus. And if we
search the scriptures as we ought, we shall find the sum and substance,
the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of them, is to lead us to a
knowledge of these two great truths.
All the threats, promises and precepts, all the exhortations and
doctrines contained therein, all the rites, ceremonies and sacrifices
appointed under the Jewish law; nay, almost all the historical parts of
holy scripture, suppose our being fallen in Adam, and either point out
to us a Mediator to come, or speak of him as already come in the flesh.
Had man continued in a state of innocence, he would not have needed an
outward revelation, because the law of God was so deeply written in the
tables of his heart. But having eaten the forbidden fruit, he incurred
the displeasure of God, and lost the divine image, and, therefore,
without an external revelation, could never tell how God would be
reconciled unto him, or how he should be saved from the misery and
darkness of his fallen nature.
That these truths are so, I need not refer you to any other book, than
your own hearts.
For unless we are fallen creatures, whence those abominable corruptions
which daily arise in our hearts? We could not come thus corrupt out of
the hands of our Maker, because he being goodness itself could make
nothing but what is like himself, holy, just, and good. And that we
want to be delivered from these disorders of our nature, is evident,
because we find an unwillingness within ourselves to own we are thus
depraved, and are always striving to appear to others of a quite
different frame and temper of mind than what we are.
I appeal to the experience of the most learned disputer against divine
revelation, whether he does not find in himself, that he is naturally
proud, angry, revengeful, and full of other passions contrary to the
purity, holiness, and long suffering of God. And is not this a
demonstration that some way or other he is fallen from God? And I
appeal also, whether at the same time that he finds these hurtful lusts
in his heart, he does not strive to seem amiable, courteous, kind and
affable [friendly, good-natured, easy-going]; and is not this a
manifest proof, that he is sensible he is miserable, and wants, he
knows not how, to be redeemed or delivered from it?
Here then, God by his word steps in, and opens to his view such a scene
of divine love, and infinite goodness in the holy scriptures, that none
but men, of such corrupt and reprobate minds as our modern deists,
would shut their eyes against it.
What does God in his written word do more or less, than show thee, O
man, how thou art fallen into that blindness, darkness, and misery, of
which thou feelest and complainest? And, at the same time, he points
out the way to what thou desirest, even how thou mayest be redeemed out
of it by believing in, and copying after the Son of his love.
As I told you before, so I tell you again, upon these two truths rest
all divine revelation. It being given us for no other end, but to show
our misery, and our happiness; our fall and recovery; or, in one word,
after what manner we died in Adam, and how in Christ we may again be
made alive.
Hence, then arises the necessity of searching the scriptures: for since
they are nothing else but the grand charter of our salvation, the
revelation of a covenant made by God with men in Christ, and a light to
guide us into the way of peace; it follows, that all are obliged to
read and search them, because all are equally fallen from God, all
equally stand in need of being informed how they must be restored to,
and again united with him.
How foolishly then do the disputing infidels of this generation act,
who are continually either calling for signs from heaven, or seeking
for outward evidence to prove the truth of divine revelation? Whereas,
what they so earnestly seek for is nigh unto, nay, within them. For let
them but consult their own hearts, they cannot but feel what they want.
Let them but consult the lively oracles of God, and they cannot but see
a remedy revealed for all their wants, and that the written word does
as exactly answer the wants and desires of their hearts, as face
answers to face in the water. Where then is the scribe, where is the
wise, where is the solidity of the reasoning of the disputers of this
world? Has not God revealed himself unto them, as plain as their own
hearts could wish? And yet they require a sign: but there shall no
other sign be given them. For if they believe not a revelation which is
every way so suited to their wants, neither will they be persuaded
though on should rise from the dead.
But this discourse is not designed so much for them that believe not,
as for them, who both know and believe that the scriptures contain a
revelation which came from God, and that it is their duty, as being
chief parties concerned, not only to read but search them also.
I pass on, therefore, in the
Second place, to lay down some directions, how you may search them with
advantage.
First, Have always in view, the end for which the scriptures were
written, even to show us the way of salvation, by Jesus Christ.
"Search the scriptures," says our blessed Lord, "for they are they that
testify of me." Look, therefore, always for Christ in the scripture. He
is the treasure hid in the field, both of the Old and New Testament. In
the Old, you will find him under prophesies, types, sacrifices, and
shadows; in the New, manifested in the flesh, to become a propitiation
for our sins as a Priest, and as a Prophet to reveal the whole will of
his heavenly Father.
Have Christ, then, always in view when you are reading the word of God,
and this, like the star in the east, will guide you to the Messiah,
will serve as a key to every thing that is obscure, and unlock to you
the wisdom and riches of all the mysteries of the kingdom of God.
Secondly, Search the scriptures with an humble child-like disposition.
For whosoever does not read them with this temper, shall in no wise
enter into the knowledge of the things contained in them. For God hides
the sense of them, from those that are wise and prudent in their own
eyes, and reveals them only to babes in Christ: who think they know
nothing yet as they ought to know; who hunger and thirst after
righteousness, and humbly desire to be fed with the sincere milk of the
word, that they may grow thereby.
Fancy yourselves, therefore, when you are searching the scriptures,
especially when you are reading the New Testament, to be with Mary
sitting at the feet of the holy Jesus; and be as willing to learn what
God shall teach you, as Samuel was, when he said, "Speak, Lord, for thy
servant heareth."
Oh that the unbelievers would pull down every high thought and
imagination that exalts itself against the revealed will of God! O that
they would, like new-born babes, desire to be fed with the pure milk of
the word! Then we should have them no longer scoffing at Divine
revelation, nor would they read the Bible any more with the same intend
the Philistines brought our Samson, to make sport at it; but they would
see the divine image and superscription written upon every line. They
would hear God speaking unto their souls by it, and, consequently, be
built up in the knowledge and fear of him, who is the Author thereof.
Thirdly, Search the scriptures, with a sincere intention to put in
practice what you read.
A desire to do the will of God is the only way to know it; if any man
will do my will, says Jesus Christ, "He shall know of my doctrine,
whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." As he also speaks
in another place to his disciples, "To you, (who are willing to
practice your duty) it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of
God, but to those that are without (who only want to raise cavils
against my doctrine) all these things are spoken in parables, that
seeing they may see and not understand, and hearing they may hear and
not perceive."
For it is but just in God to send those strong delusions, that they may
believe a lie, and to conceal the knowledge of himself from all such as
do not seek him with a single intention.
Jesus Christ is the same now, as formerly, to those who desire to know
from his word, who he is that they may believe on, and live by; and to
him he will reveal himself as clearly as he did to the woman of
Samaria, when he said, "I that speak to thee am he," or as he did to
the man that was born blind, whom the Jews had cast out for his name's
sake, "He that talketh with thee, is he." But to those who consult his
word with a desire neither to know him, nor keep his commandments, but
either merely for their entertainment, or to scoff at the simplicity of
the manner in which he is revealed, to those, I say, he never will
reveal himself, though they should search the scriptures to all
eternity. As he never would tell those whether he was the Messiah or
not, who put that question to him either out of curiosity, or that they
might have whereof to accuse him.
Fourthly, In order to search the scriptures still more effectually,
make an application of every thing you read to your own hearts.
For whatever was written in the book of God, was written for our
learning. And what Christ said unto those aforetime, we must look upon
as spoken to us also: for since the holy scriptures are nothing but a
revelation from God, how fallen man is to be restored by Jesus Christ:
all the precepts, threats, and promises, belong to us and to our
children, as well as to those, to whom they were immediately made
known.
Thus the Apostle, when he tells us that he lived by the faith of the
Son of God, adds, "who died and gave himself for me." It is this
application of Jesus Christ to our hearts, that makes his redemption
effectual to each of us.
And it is this application of all the doctrinal and historical parts of
scripture, when we are reading them over, that must render them
profitable to us, as they were designed for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness, and to make every child of God
perfect, thoroughly furnished to every good work.
I dare appeal to the experience of every spiritual reader of holy writ,
whether or not, if he consulted the word of God in this manner, he was
not at all times and at all seasons, as plainly directed how to act, as
though he had consulted the Urim and Thummim, which was upon the high-
priest's breast. For this is the way God now reveals himself to man:
not by making new revelations, but by applying general things that are
revealed already to every sincere reader's heart.
And this, by the way, answers an objection made by those who say, "The
word of God is not a perfect rule of action, because it cannot direct
us how to act or how to determine in particular cases, or what place to
go to, when we are in doubt, and therefore, the Spirit, and not the
word, is to be our rule of action."
But this I deny, and affirm on the contrary, that God at all times,
circumstances, and places, though never so minute, never so particular,
will, if we diligently seek the assistance of his Holy Spirit, apply
general things to our hearts, and thereby, to use the words of the holy
Jesus, will lead us into all truth, and give us the particular
assistance we want. But this leads me to a
Fifth direction how to search the scriptures with profit: Labor to
attain that Spirit by which they were written.
For the natural man discerneth not the words of the Spirit of God,
because they are spiritually discerned; the words that Christ hath
spoken, they are spirit, and they are life, and can be no more
understood as to the true sense and meaning of them, by the mere
natural man, than a person who never had learned a language can
understand another speaking in it. The scriptures, therefore, have not
unfitly been compared, by some, to the cloud which went before the
Israelites, they are dark and hard to be understood by the natural man,
as the cloud appeared dark to the Egyptians; but they are light, they
are life to Christians indeed, as that same cloud which seemed dark to
Pharaoh and his house, appeared bright and altogether glorious to the
Israel of God.
It was the want of the assistance of this Spirit, that made Nicodemus,
a teacher of Israel, and a ruler of the Jews, so utterly ignorant in
the doctrine of regeneration: for being only a natural man, he could
not tell how that thing could be; it was the want of this Spirit that
made our Savior's disciples, though he so frequently conversed with
them, daily mistake the nature of the doctrines he delivered; and it is
because the natural veil is not taken off from their hearts, that so
many who now pretend to search the scriptures, yet see no farther than
into the bare letter of them, and continue entire strangers to the
spiritual meaning couched under every parable, and contained in almost
all the precepts of the book of God.
Indeed, how should it be otherwise, for God being a spirit, he cannot
communicate himself any otherwise than in a spiritual manner to the
hearts of men; and consequently if we are strangers to his Spirit, we
must continue strangers to his word, because it is altogether like
himself, spiritual. Labor, therefore, earnestly for to attain this
blessed Spirit; otherwise, your understandings will never be opened to
understand the scriptures aright: and remember, prayer is one of the
most immediate means to get this Holy Spirit. Therefore,
Sixthly, Let me advise you, before you read the scriptures, to pray,
that Christ, according to his promise, would send his Spirit to guide
you into all truth; intersperse short ejaculations whilst you are
engaged in reading; pray over every word and verse, if possible; and
when you close up the book, most earnestly beseech God, that the words
which you have read, may be inwardly engrafted into your hearts, and
bring forth in you the fruits of a good life.
Do this, and you will, with a holy violence, draw down God's Holy
Spirit into your hearts; you will experience his gracious influence,
and feel him enlightening, quickening, and inflaming your souls by the
word of God; you will then not only read, but mark, learn, and inwardly
digest what you read: and the word of God will be meat indeed, and
drink indeed unto your souls; you then will be as Apollos was, powerful
in the scriptures; be scribes ready instructed to the kingdom of God,
and bring out of the good treasures of your heart, things both from the
Old and New Testament, to entertain all you converse with. One
Direction more, which shall be the last, Seventhly, Read the scripture
constantly, or, to use our Savior's expression in the text, "search the
scriptures;" dig in them as for hid treasure; for here is a manifest
allusion to those who dig in mines; and our Savior would thereby teach
us, that we must take as much pains in constantly reading his word, if
we would grow wise thereby, as those who dig for gold and silver. The
scriptures contain the deep things of God, and therefore, can never be
sufficiently searched into by a careless, superficial, cursory way of
reading them, but by an industrious, close, and humble application.
The Psalmist makes it the characteristic of a good man, that he
"meditates on God's law day and night." And "this book of the law,
(says God to Joshua) shall not go out of thy mouth, but thou shalt
meditate therein day and night;" for then thou shalt make thy way
prosperous, and thou shalt have good success. Search, therefore, the
scriptures, not only devoutly but daily, for in them are the words of
eternal life; wait constantly at wisdom's gate, and she will then, and
not till then, display and lay open to you her heavenly treasures. You
that are rich, are without excuse if you do not; and you that are poor,
ought to take heed and improve that little time you have: for by the
scriptures you are to be acquitted, and by the scriptures you are to be
condemned at the last day.
But perhaps you have no taste for this despised book; perhaps plays,
romances, and books of polite entertainment, suit your taste better: if
this be your case, give me leave to tell you, your taste is vitiated
[corrupted, depraved], and unless corrected by the Spirit and word of
God, you shall never enter into his heavenly kingdom: for unless you
delight in God here, how will you be made meet to dwell with him
hereafter. Is it a sin then, you will say, to read useless impertinent
books; I answer, Yes. And that for the same reason, as it is a sin to
indulge useless conversation, because both immediately tend to grieve
and quench that Spirit, by which alone we can be sealed to the day of
redemption. You may reply, How shall we know this? Why, put in practice
the precept in the text; search the scripture in the manner that has
been recommended, and then you will be convinced of the danger,
sinfulness, and unsatisfacteriness of reading any others than the book
of God, or such as are wrote in the same spirit. You will then say,
when I was a child, and ignorant of the excellency of the word of God,
I read what the world calls harmless books, as other children in
knowledge, though old in years, have done, and still do; but now I have
tasted the good word of life, and am come to a more perfect knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, I put away these childish, trifling things,
and am determined to read no other books but what lead me to a
knowledge of myself and of Christ Jesus.
Search, therefore, the scriptures, my dear brethren; taste and see how
good the word of God is, and then you will never leave that heavenly
manna, that angel's food, to feed on dry husks, that light bread, those
trifling, sinful compositions, in which men of false taste delight
themselves: no, you will then disdain such poor entertainment, and
blush that yourselves once were fond of it. The word of God will then
be sweeter to you than honey, and the honey-comb, and dearer than gold
and silver; your souls by reading it, will be filled as it were, with
marrow and fatness, and your hearts insensibly molded into the spirit
of its blessed Author. In short, you will be guided by God's wisdom
here, and conducted by the light of his divine word into glory
hereafter.
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The Indwelling of the Spirit, the Common Privilege of All Believers
John 7:37-39 -- "In the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus
stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and
drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the
Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive."
Nothing has rendered the cross of Christ of less effect; nothing has
been a greater stumbling-block and rock of offense to weak minds, that
a supposition, now current among us, that most of what is contained in
the gospel of Jesus Christ, was designed only for our Lord's first and
immediate followers, and consequently calculated but for one or two
hundred years. Accordingly, many now read the life, sufferings, death,
and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in the same manner as Caesar's
Commentaries, or the Conquests of Alexander are read: as things rather
intended to afford matter for speculation, than to be acted over again
in and by us.
As this is true of the doctrines of the gospel in general, so it is of
the operation of God's Spirit upon the hearts of believers in
particular; for we no sooner mention the necessity of our receiving the
Holy Ghost in these last days, as well as formerly, but we are looked
upon by some, as enthusiasts and madmen; and by others, represented as
willfully deceiving the people, and undermining the established
constitution of the church.
Judge ye then, whether it is not high time for the true ministers of
Jesus, who have been made partakers of this heavenly gift, to lift up
their voices like a trumpet; and if they would not have those souls
perish, for which the Lord Jesus has shed his precious blood, to
declare, with all boldness, that the Holy Spirit is the common
privilege and portion of all believers in all ages; and that we as well
as the first Christians, must receive the Holy Ghost, before we can be
truly called the children of God.
For this reason, (and also that I might answer the design of our church
in appointing the present festival [Whitsuntide]) I have chosen the
words of the text.
They were spoken by Jesus Christ, when he was at the feast of
tabernacles. Our Lord attended on the temple-service in general, and
the festivals of the Jewish church in particular. The festival at which
he was now present, was that of the feast of tabernacles, which the
Jews observed according to God's appointment in commemoration of their
living in tents. At the last day of this feast, it was customary for
many pious people to fetch water from a certain place, and bring it on
their heads, singing this anthem out of Isaiah, "And with joy shall
they draw water out of the wells of salvation." Our Lord observing
this, and it being his constant practice to spiritualize every thing he
met with, cries out, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, (rather
than unto that well) and drink. He that believeth on me, as the
scripture hath spoken, (where it is said, God will make water to spring
out of a dry rock, and such-like) out of his belly shall flow rivers of
living water." And that we might know what our Savior meant by this
living water, the Evangelist immediately adds, "But this spake he of
the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive."
The last words I shall chiefly insist on in the ensuing discourse: And
First, I shall briefly show, what is meant by the word Spirit.
Secondly, That this Spirit is the common privilege of all believers.
Thirdly, I shall show the reason on which this doctrine is founded. And
Lastly, Conclude with a general exhortation to believe on Jesus Christ,
whereby alone we can receive the Spirit.
First, I am to show, what is meant by the word Spirit.
By the Spirit, is evidently to be understood the Holy Ghost, the third
person in the ever-blessed Trinity, consubstantial and co-eternal with
the Father and the Son, proceeding from, yet equal to them both. For,
to use the words of our Church in this day's office, that which we
believe of the glory of the Father, the same we believe of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost, without any difference or inequality.
Thus, says St. John, in his first epistle, chap. 5, ver. 7, "There are
three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy
Ghost, and these three are one." And our Lord, when he gave his
Apostles commission to go and teach all nations, commanded them to
baptize in the name of the Holy Ghost, as well as of the Father and the
Son. And St. Peter, Acts v. 3 said to Ananias, "Why hath Satan filled
thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?" And ver. 4 he says, "Thou hast
not lied unto men, but unto God." From all which passages, it is plain,
that the Holy Ghost, is truly and properly God, as well as the Father
and the Son. This is an unspeakable mystery, but a mystery of God's
revealing, and, therefore, to be assented to with our whole hearts:
seeing God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he
should deceive. I proceed,
Secondly, To prove that the Holy Ghost is the common privilege of all
believers.
But, here I would not be understood of to receiving the Holy Ghost, as
to enable us to work miracles, or show outward signs and wonders. I
allow our adversaries, that to pretend to be inspired, in this sense,
is being wise above what is written. Perhaps it cannot be proved, that
God ever interposed in this extraordinary manner, but when some new
revelation was to be established, as at the first setthng of the
Mosaic and gospel dispensation: and as for my own part, I cannot but
suspect the spirit of those who insist upon a repetition of such
miracles at this time. For the world being now become nominally
Christian, (though, God knows, little of the power is left among us)
there need not outward miracles, but only an inward co-operation of the
Holy Spirit with the word, to prove that Jesus is the Messiah which was
to come into the world.
Besides, if it was possible for thee, O man, to have faith, so as to be
able to remove mountains, or cast out devils; nay, couldst thou speak
with the tongue of men and angels, yea, and bid the sun stand still in
the midst of heaven; what would all these gifts of the Spirit avail
thee, without being made partaker of his sanctifying graces? Saul had
the spirit of government for a while, so as to become another man, and
yet probably was a cast-away. And many, who cast out devils, in
Christ's name, at the last will be disowned by him. If therefore, thou
hadst only the gifts, and was destitute of the graces of the Holy
Ghost, they would only serve to lead thee with so much the more
solemnity to hell.
Here then we join issue with our adversaries, and will readily grant,
that we are not in this sense to be inspired, as were our Lord's first
Apostles. But unless men have eyes which see not, and ears that hear
not, how can they read the latter part of the text, and not confess
that the Holy Spirit, in another sense, is the common privilege of all
believers, even to the end of the world? "This spake he of the Spirit,
which they that believe on him should receive." Observe, he does not
say, they that believe on him for one or two ages, but they that
believe on him in general, or, at all times, and in all places. So
that, unless we can prove, that St. John was under a delusion when he
wrote thee words, we must believe that even we also, shall receive the
Holy Ghost, if we believe on the Lord Jesus with our whole hearts.
Again, our Lord, just before his bitter passion, when he was about to
offer up his soul an offering for the sins of the elect world; when his
heart was most enlarged and he would undoubtedly demand the most
excellent gift for his disciples, prays, "That they all may be one, as
thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in
us, I in them, and thou in me; that they may be made perfect in one;"
that is, that all his true followers might be united to him by his holy
Spirit, by as real, vital, and mystical an union, as there was between
Jesus Christ and the Father. I say all his true followers; for it is
evident, from our Lord's own words, that he had us, and all believers,
in view, when he put up this prayer; "Neither pray I for these alone,
but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;" so
that, unless we treat our Lord as the high priests did, and count him a
blasphemer, we must confess, that all who believe in Jesus Christ,
through the word, or ministration of his servants, are to be joined to
Jesus Christ, by being made partakers of the Holy Spirit.
A great noise hath been made of late, about the word enthusiast, and it
has been cast upon the preachers of the gospel, as a term of reproach;
but every Christian, in the proper sense of the word, must be an
enthusiast; that is, must be inspired of God or have God, by his
Spirit, in him. St. Peter tells us, "we have many great and precious
promises, that we may be made partakers of the divine nature;" our Lord
prays, "that we may be one, as the Father and he are one;" and our own
church, in conformity to these texts of Scripture, in her excellent
communion-office, tells us, that those who receive the sacrament
worthily, "dwell in Christ, and Christ in them; that they are one with
Christ, and Christ with them." And yet, Christians must have their
names cast out as evil, and ministers in particular, must be looked
upon as deceivers of the people, for affirming, that we must be really
united to God, by receiving the Holy Ghost. Be astonished, O heavens,
at this!
Indeed, I will not say, all our letter-learned preachers deny this
doctrine in express words; but however, they do in effect; for they
talk professedly against inward feelings, and say, we may have God's
Spirit without feeling it, which is in reality to deny the thing
itself. And had I a mind to hinder the progress of the gospel, and to
establish the kingdom of darkness, I would go about, telling people,
they might have the Spirit of God, and yet not feel it.
But to return: When our Lord was about to ascend to his Father and our
Father, to his God and our God he gave his apostles this commission,
"Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." And accordingly, by authority
of this commission, we do teach and baptize in this, and every age of
the church. And though we translate the words, "baptizing them in the
name;" yet, as the name of God, in the Lord's prayer, and several other
places, signifies his nature, they might as well be translated thus,
"baptizing them into the nature of the Father, into the nature of the
Son, and into the nature of the Holy Ghost." Consequently, if we are
all to be baptized into the nature of the Holy Ghost, before our
baptism be effectual to salvation, it is evident, that we all must
actually receive the Holy Ghost, and ere we can say, we truly believe
in Jesus Christ. For no one can say, that Jesus is my Lord, but he that
has thus received the Holy Ghost.
Numbers of other texts might be quoted to make this doctrine, if
possible, still more plain; but I am astonished, that any who call
themselves members; much more, that many, who are preachers in the
church of England, should dare so much as to open their lips against
it. And yet, with grief I speak it, God is my Judge, persons of the
established church seem more generally to be ignorant of it, than any
dissenters whatsoever.
But, my dear brethren, what have you been doing? How often have your
hearts given your lips the lie how often have you offered to God the
sacrifice of fools, and had your prayers turned into sin, if you
approve of, and use our church-liturgy, and yet deny the Holy Spirit to
be the portion of all believers? In the daily absolution, the minister
exhorts the people to pray, that "God would grant them repentance, and
his Holy Spirit:" in the Collect for Christmas day, we beseech God,
"that he would daily renew us by his Holy Spirit;" in the last week's
Collect, we prayed that "we may evermore rejoice in the comforts of the
Holy Ghost;" and in the concluding prayer, which we put up every day,
we pray, not only that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love
of God, but that "the fellowship of the Holy Ghost" may be with us all
evermore.
But further, a solemn season, to some, is not approaching; I mean the
Easter-days, at the end of which, all that are to be ordained to the
office of a deacon, are in the sight of God, and in the presence of the
congregation, to declare, that "they trust they are inwardly moved by
the Holy Ghost, to take upon them that administration;" and to those,
who are to be ordained priests, the bishop is to repeat these solemn
words, "Receive thou the Holy Ghost, now committed unto them, by the
imposition of our hands." And yet, O that I had no reason to speak it,
many that use our forms, and many who have witnessed this good
confession, yet dare to both talk and preach against the necessity of
receiving the Holy Ghost now; and not only so, but cry out against
those, who do insist upon it, as madmen, enthusiasts, schismatics, and
underminers of the established constitution.
But you are the schismatics, you are the bane of the church of England,
who are always crying out, "the temple of the Lord, the temple of the
Lord;" and yet starve the people out of our communion, by feeding them
only with the dry husks of dead morality, and not bringing out to them
the fatted calf; I mean, the doctrines of the operations of the blessed
Spirit of God. But here is the misfortune; many of us are not led by,
and therefore no wonder that we cannot talk feelingly of, the Holy
Ghost; we subscribe to our articles, and make them serve for a key to
get into church-preferment, and then preach contrary to those very
articles to which we have subscribed. Far be it from me, to charge all
the clergy with this hateful hypocrisy; no, blessed be God, there are
some left among us, who dare maintain the doctrines of the Reformation,
and preach the truth as it is in Jesus. But I speak the truth in
Christ, I lie not; the generality of the clergy are fallen from our
articles, and do not speak agreeable to them, or to the form of sound
words delivered in the Scriptures; woe be unto such blind leaders of
the blind! How can you escape the damnation of hell? It is not all your
learning (falsely so called) it is not all your preferments can keep
you from the just judgment of God. Yet a little while, and we shall all
appear before the tribunal of Christ; there, there will I meet you;
there Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, shall
determine who are the false prophets; who are the wolves in sheep's
clothing. Those who say, that we must now receive and feel the Holy
Ghost, or those who exclaim against it, as the doctrine of devils.
But I can no more; it is an unpleasing talk to censure any order of
men, especially those who are in the ministry; nor would any thing
excuse it but necessity: that necessity which extorted from our Lord
himself so many woes against the Scribes and Pharisees, the
letter-learned rulers and teachers of the Jewish church; and surely, if
I could bear to see people perish for lack of knowledge, and yet be
silent towards those who keep from them the key of true knowledge, the
very stones would cry out.
Would we restore the church to its primitive dignity, the only way is
to live and preach the doctrine of Christ, and the articles to which we
have subscribed; then we shall find the number of dissenters will daily
decrease, and the church of England become the joy of the whole earth.
I am, in the Third place, to show the reasonableness of this doctrine.
I say, the reasonableness of this doctrine; for however it may seem
foolishness to the natural man, yet to those, who have tasted of the
good word of life, and have felt the power of the world to come, it
will appear to be founded on the highest reason; and is capable, to
those who have eyes to see, even of a demonstration; I say of
demonstration: for it stands on this self-evident truth, that we are
fallen creatures, or, to use the scripture-expression, "have all died
in Adam."
I know indeed, it is now no uncommon thing amongst us, to deny the
doctrine of original sin, as well as the divinity of Jesus Christ; but
it is incumbent on those who deny it, first to disprove the authority
of the holy Scriptures; if thou canst prove, thou unbeliever, that the
book, which we call The Bible, odes not contain the lively oracles of
God; if thou canst show, that holy men of old, did not write this book,
as they were inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost, then will we give up the
doctrine of original sin; but unless thou canst do this, we must insist
upon it, that we are all conceived and born in sin; if for no other,
yet for this one reason, because that God, who cannot lie, has told us
so.
But what has light to do with darkness, or polite infidels with the
Bible? Alas! as they are strangers to the power, so they are generally
as great strangers to the word of God. And therefore, if we will preach
to them, we must preach to and from the heart: for talking in the
language of scripture, to them, is but like talking in an unknown
tongue. Tell me then, O man, whosoever thou art, that deniest the
doctrine of original sin, if thy conscience be not seared as with a hot
iron! Tell me, if thou dost not find thyself, by nature, to be a mostly
mixture of brute and devil? I know these terms will stir up the whole
Pharisee in thy heart; but let not Satan hurry thee hence; stop a
little, and let us reason together; dost thou not find, that by nature
thou art prone to pride? Otherwise, wherefore art thou now offended?
Again, dost not thou find in thyself the seeds of malice, revenge, and
all uncharitableness? And what are these but the very tempers of the
devil? Again, do we not all by nature follow, and suffer ourselves to
be led by our natural appetites, always looking downwards, never
looking upwards to that God, in whom we live, move, and have our being?
And what is this but the very nature of the beasts that perish? Out of
thy own heart, therefore, will I oblige thee to confess, what an
inspired apostle has long since told us, that "the whole world (by
nature) lies in the wicked one;" we are no better than those whom St.
Jude calls "brute beasts;" for we have tempers in us all by nature,
that prove to a demonstration, that we are earthly, sensual, devilish.
And this will serve as another argument, to prove the reality of the
operations of the blessed Spirit on the hearts of believers, against
those false professors, who deny there is any such thing as influences
of the Holy Spirit, that may be felt. For if they will grant that the
devil worketh, and so as to be felt in the hearts of the children of
disobedience (which they must grant, unless they will give an apostle
the lie) where is the wonder that the good Spirit should have the same
power over those who are truly obedient to the faith of Jesus Christ?
If it be true then; that we are all by nature, since the fall, a
mixture of brute an devil, it is evident, that we all must receive the
Holy Ghost, ere we can dwell with and enjoy God.
When you read, how the prodigal, in the gospel, was reduced to so low a
condition, as to eat husks with swine, and how Nebachadnezzar was
turned out, to graze with oxen; I am confident, you pity their unhappy
state. And when you hear, how Jesus Christ will say, at the last day,
to all that are not born again of God, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into
everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels," do not your
hearts shrink within you, with a secret horror? And if creatures, with
only our degree of goodness, cannot bear even the thoughts of dwelling
with beasts or devils, to whose nature we are so nearly allied, how do
we imagine God, who is infinite goodness, and purity itself, can dwell
with us, while we are partakers of both their natures? We might as well
think to reconcile heaven and hell.
When Adam had eaten the forbidden fruit, he fled and hid himself from
God; why? Because he was naked; he was alienated from the life of God,
the due punishment of his disobedience. Now, we are all by nature naked
and void of God, as he was at that time, and consequently, until we are
changed, renewed, and clothed with a divine nature again, we must fly
from God also.
Hence then appears the reasonableness of our being obliged to receive
the Spirit of God. It is founded on the doctrine of original sin: and,
therefore, you will always find, that those who talk against feeling
the operations of the Holy Ghost, very rarely, or slightly at least,
mention our fall in Adam; no, they refer St. Paul's account of the
depravity of unbelievers, only to those of old time. Whereas it is
obvious, on the contrary, that we are all equally included under the
guilt and consequences of our first parent's sin, even as others; and
to use the language of our own church-article, "bring into the world
with us, a corruption, which renders us liable to God's wrath, and
eternal damnation."
Should I preach to you any other doctrine, I should wrong my own soul;
I should be found a false witness towards God and you; and he that
preaches any other doctrine, howsoever dignified and distinguished,
shall bear his punishment, whosoever he be.
From this plain reason then appears the necessity why we, as well as
the first apostles, in this sense, must receive the Spirit of God.
For the great work of sanctification, or making us holy, is
particularly reserved to the Holy Ghost; therefore, our Lord says,
"Unless a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God."
Jesus Christ came down to save us, not only from the guilt, but also
from the power of sin: and however often we have repeated our creed,
and told God we believe in the Holy Ghost, yet, if we have not believed
in him, so as to be really united to Jesus Christ by him, we have no
more concord with Jesus Christ than Belial himself.
And now, my brethren, what shall I say more? Tell me, are not many of
you offended at what has been said already? Do not some of you think,
though I mean well, yet I have carried the point a little too far? Are
not others ready to cry out, if this be true, who then can be saved? Is
not this driving people into despair?
Yes, I ingenuously confess it is; but into what despair? A despair of
mercy through Christ? No, God forbid; but a despair of living with God
without receiving the Holy Ghost. And I would to God, that not only all
you that hear me this day, but that the whole world was filled with
this despair. Believe me, I have been doing no more than you allow your
bodily physicians to do every day: if you have a wound, and are in
earnest about a cure, you bid the surgeon probe it to the very bottom;
and shall not the physician of your souls be allowed the same freedom?
What have I been doing but searching your natural wounds, that I might
convince you of your danger, and put you upon applying to Jesus Christ
for a remedy? Indeed I have dealt with you as gently as I could; and
now I have wounded, I will attempt to heal you. For I was in the
Last place, to exhort you all to come to Jesus Christ by faith, whereby
you, even you also, shall receive the Holy Ghost. "For this spake he of
the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive."
This, this is what I long to come to. Hitherto I have been preaching
only the law; but behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy. If I
have wounded you, be not afraid; behold, I now bring a remedy for all
your wounds. Notwithstanding you are sunk into the nature of the beast
and devil, yet, if you truly believe on Jesus Christ, you shall receive
the quickening Spirit promised in the text, and be restored to the
glorious liberties of the sons of God; I say, if you believe on Jesus
Christ. "For by faith we are saved; it is not of works, lest any one
should boast." And, however some men may say, there is a fitness
required in the creature, and that we must have a righteousness of our
own, before we can lay hold on the righteousness of Christ; yet , if we
believe the scripture, salvation is the free gift of God, in Christ
Jesus our Lord; and whosoever believeth on him with his whole heart,
though his soul be as black as hell itself, shall receive the gift of
the Holy Ghost. Behold then, I stand up, and cry out in this great day
of the feast, let every one that thirsteth come unto Jesus Christ and
drink. "He that believeth on him, out of his belly shall flow (not only
streams of rivulets, but whole) rivers of living water." This I speak
of the Spirit, which they that believe on Jesus shall certainly
receive. For Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and for ever;
he is the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life; "whosoever
believeth on him, though he were dead, yet shall he live." There is no
respect of persons with Jesus Christ; high and low, rich and poor, one
with another, may come to him with an humble confidence, if they draw
near by faith; from him we may all receive grace upon grace; for Jesus
Christ is full of grace and truth, and ready to save to the uttermost,
all that by a true faith turn unto him. Indeed, the poor generally
receive the gospel, and "God has chosen the poor in this world, rich in
faith." But though not may mighty, not many noble are called; and
though it be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than
for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God, yet, even to you that
are rich, do I now freely offer salvation, by Jesus Christ, if you will
renounce yourselves, and come to Jesus Christ as poor sinners; I say,
as poor sinners; for the "poor in spirit" are only so blessed, as to
have a right to the kingdom of God. And Jesus Christ calls none to him,
but those who thirst after his righteousness, and feel themselves
weary, and heavy laden with the burden of their sins. Jesus Christ
justifies the ungodly; he came not to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance.
Do not then say you are unworthy, for this is a faithful and true
saying, and worthy of all men to be received, "that Jesus Christ came
into the world to save sinners;" and if you are the chief of sinners,
if you feel yourselves such, verily Jesus Christ came into the world
chiefly to save you. When Joseph was called out of the prison-house to
Pharaoh's court, we are told, that he stayed some time to prepare
himself; but do you come with all your prison clothes about you; come
poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked, as you are, and God the
Father shall receive you with open arms, as was the returning prodigal.
He shall cover you nakedness with the best robe of his dear Son's
righteousness, shall seal you with the signet of his Spirit, and feed
you with the fatted calf, even with the comforts of the Holy Ghost. O,
let there then be joy in heaven over some of you, as believing; let me
not go back to my Master, and say, Lord, they will not believe my
report. Harden no longer your hearts, but open them wide, and let the
King of glory enter in; believe me, I am willing to go to prison or
death for you; but I am not willing to go to heaven without you. The
love of Jesus Christ constrains me to lift up my voice like a trumpet.
My heart is not fill; out of the abundance of the love which I have for
your precious and immortal souls, my mouth now speaketh; and I could
now not only continue my discourse until midnight, but I could speak
until I could speak no more. And why should I despair of any? No, I can
despair of no one, when I consider Jesus Christ has had mercy on such a
wretch as I am; but the free grace of Christ prevented me; he saw me in
my blood, he passed by me, and said unto me, Live; and the same grace
which we sufficient for me, is sufficient for you also; behold, the
same blessed Spirit is ready to breathe on all your dry bones, if you
will believe on Jesus Christ, whom God has sent; indeed, you can never
believe on, or serve a better master, one that is more mighty, or more
willing to save; I can say, the Lord Christ is gracious, his yoke is
easy, his burden exceeding light; after you have served him many years,
like the servants under the law, was he willing to discharge you, you
would say, we love our Master, and will not go from him. Come then, my
guilty brethren, come and believe on the Lord that bought you with his
precious blood; look up by faith, and see him whom you have pierced;
behold him bleeding, panting, dying! Behold him with arms stretched out
ready to receive you all; cry unto him as the penitent thief did, Lord,
remember us now thou art in thy kingdom, and he shall say to your
souls, shortly shall you be with me in paradise. For those whom Christ
justified, them he also glorifies, even with that glory which he
enjoyed with the Father, before the world began. Do not say, I have
bought a piece of ground, and must needs go see it; or I have bought a
yoke of oxen, and must needs go prove them; or I have married a wife, I
am engaged in an eager pursuit after the lust of the eye, and the pride
of life, that therefore cannot come. Do not fear having your name cast
out as evil, or being accounted a fool for Christ's sake; yet a little
while, and you shall shine like the stars in the firmament for ever.
Only believe, and Jesus Christ shall be to you wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and eternal redemption; your bodies shall be fashioned
like unto his glorious body, and your souls be partakers of all the
fullness of God.
Which God of his infinite mercy, &c.
__________________________________________________________________
The Resurrection of Lazarus
John 11:43-44 -- "And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud
voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand
and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a
napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go."
When Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, was pleased to make all things by
the word of his power, his last works were the best. When he looked
back upon, and beheld the first products of his almighty power, he
pronounced them "good;" but when that last, that lovely creature man,
was formed, he pronounced them "very good." So, the same Jesus, when he
came to tabernacle among us, and to begin and carry on a new and second
creation, though all his works were miracles of wonder, and manifested
forth the glory of his eternal Godhead, yet the nearer he came to the
end of his public ministrations, the greater and more noble did the
miracles which he wrought appear. The resurrection of Lazarus, that is
to be the subject of the following discourse, I think, is a sufficient
proof of this. To an eye of sense, it seems to be one of the greatest,
if not the very greatest miracle of all which our blessed Lord
performed. When our Savior bid John's disciple go and tell their Maser
what things they had seen and heard, he commands them to inform him,
that by his divine power "the dead were raised;" alluding no doubt to
the Ruler's daughter, who was raised immediately after her decease; and
the Widow's son, who at the command of Jesus, rose out of his coffin,
as they were carrying his corpse to the burial. These were pregnant
proofs, that Jesus was indeed the Messiah that was to come into the
world. But his raising of Lazarus from the dead, after he had lain four
days dead, and saw corruption, is still, if possible, a greater
miracle; and consequently a stronger proof of his being the Anointed,
the Christ of God. The evangelist John is very particular in giving us
an account of this miracle; even so particular, as to spend a whole
chapter in relating the circumstances which preceded, attended, and
followed after it. And as he was undoubtedly directed herein by the
all- wise, unerring Spirit of God, does it not point out unto us, that
this miracle, with all its respective circumstances, calls for our
particular and most serious meditation? It appears to me in this light;
and therefore, as the Lord shall be pleased to assist, I shall go back
to the beginning of this chapter, follow the evangelist step by step,
and consider the particulars of this wondrous miracle, make some
practical observations as I go along, and conclude with some suitable
instructions and exhortations, which will naturally arise from the body
of the discourse.
The evangelist in the first verse, makes mention of the sickness of
Lazarus. "Now, a certain man was sick, named Lazarus of Bethany, the
town of Mary, and her sister Martha." Some think these sisters were
very wealthy, so as to own good part of the town, or, as the original
word seems to imply, the village. But then it is probably the
evangelist would have said the town of Lazarus, estates usually
descending, as with us, in the male line: it means therefore no more,
than that Martha and Mary lived in Bethany. The Holy Ghost pointing out
to us hereby, that nothing makes a town so worthy of a gracious soul's
remark of esteem, as its having many of God's dear children for its
inhabitants. Bethany, though a little place, is more famous because it
was the town of Martha and Mary, than if Alexander had fought in it one
of his greatest battles. Both these women loved Jesus in sincerity, and
were as good as they were great. But Mary, though the younger sister,
seems to be the most eminent: for the evangelist in the second verse,
speaks of her in a very distinguishing manner. "It was that Mary (that
never-to-be-forgotten Mary) which anointed the Lord with ointment
(expensive as it was) and wiped his feed, (after she had washed them
with tears of love with her hair," even the hair of her head. What
notice is taken of this action! With what an eulogy, and in what a high
strain of commendation is it here spoken of? And such are the honors of
all God's saints. Though all our good works are not recorded as Mary's
are, yet God is not unmindful, that he should forget our works of
faith, and labors which have proceeded of love. Every tear we shed,
every sigh we fetch, every alms we give, though it be only a cup of
cold water, are all recorded in the Lamb's book of remembrance, and
shall be produced to our eternal honor, and rewarded with a reward of
grace, though not of debt, at the great and terrible day of the Lord.
"I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me
drink, naked, and ye clothed me, sick and in prison, and ye came unto
me." What reason have we then to be "steadfast and unmovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as we are assured, that
our labors will not be in vain or forgotten by the Lord!" It was that
Mary that anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her
hair. And what follows? "Whose brother Lazarus was sick." So that being
related to Christ, or his disciples, will not exempt persons from
sickness. In this life, time and chance happens to all, only with this
material difference, those afflictions which harden the obstinately
impenitent, soften and purify the heart of a true believer. "My son,
therefore despise not the chastening of the Lord (on one hand), nor
faint when thou art rebuked of him (on the other): for whom the Lord
loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."
Verse 5 that "Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus." Oh happy
family! Three in it beloved of Jesus, with a peculiar, everlasting
love. "Very often it so happens, (to use the words of the pious Bishop
Beveridge) that there "is but one in a city, and two in a country of
this stamp." But here are two sisters and a brother, all lovers of, and
beloved by the glorious Jesus. What shall we say to these things? Why,
that our savior's grace is free and sovereign, and he may do what he
will with his own. They who are thus so highly favored as to have so
many converted in one house, ought to be doubly thankful! Such a
blessing have not all his saints. No; many, very many, go mourning over
their perverse and graceless relations all their lives long; and find,
even to their dying day, that their greatest foes are those of their
own household. Surely these three relations lived a heaven upon earth.
For what can they want, what could make them miserable, who are assured
of Jesus' love? But surely if Jesus loves this dear little family, the
next news one might think we should hear, would be, that he went
immediately and healed Lazarus; or at least cured him at a distance.
But instead of that, we are told, verse 6 "When he had heard that he
was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was." A
strange way this, in the eye of natural reason, of expressing love; but
not so strange in the eye of faith: for the Lord Jesus very often
showeth his love, by deferring to give immediate answers to our
prayers. Hereby he tries our faith and patience, and exercises all our
passive graces. We have a proof of this in the Syrophonecian woman,
upon whom the blessed Jesus frowned, and spake roughly to at first,
only that he might afterwards turn unto her and say, "O woman, great is
thy faith." Let not those then who believe, make too much haste; or
immediately in their hearts repine against the Lord, because he may not
answer their requests, in their own time and way. God's time and way is
best. And we shall find it to be so in the end. Martha and Mary
experienced the truth of this, though undoubtedly our Lord's seeming
delay, to come and heal their brother, cost them great searchings of
heart. But will the Lord Jesus forget his dear Lazarus, whom his soul
loveth? "Can a woman forget her sucking child?" Indeed she may; but the
Lord never faileth those that fear him. Neither is he slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness: for his very delays are
answers. The vision is for an appointed time; in the end it will speak
and not lie.
Though our Lord abode two days where he was, to try the faith of these
sisters, yet after this, he said unto his disciples, verse 7, "Let us
go into Judea again." With what a holy familiarity does Jesus converse
with his dear children! Our Savior seems to speak to his disciples, as
though he was only their brother, and as it were upon a level with
them; "Let us go into Judea again." How gently, according to what was
predicted of him, does he lead those that are with young! Jesus very
well knew the weakness of his disciples, and also what a dangerous
place Judea was: how gradually therefore does he make known unto them,
his design of going thither! And how does he admit his disciples to
expostulate with him on this account! "Master, say they, the Jews of
late sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again?" They were
amazed at our Lord's boldness, and were ready to call it presumption;
as we generally are prone to censure and condemn other zealous and
enterprising persons, as carrying matters too far; it may be for no
other reason, if we examine the bottom of our hearts, but because they
go before, and excel ourselves. The disciples, no doubt, thought that
they spoke out of love to their Lord, and assuredly they did; but what
a deal of self-love was there mixed and blended with it? They seem much
concerned for their Master, but they were more concerned for
themselves. However Jesus overlooks their weakness, and mildly replies,
verse 9 and 10, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk
in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of the world;
but if any man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no
light in him." As though our Lord had said, My dear disciples, I thank
you for your care and concern for me. Judea is a dangerous place, and
what you say of the treatment I met with from its inhabitants, is just
and true: but be not afraid of going there upon my account. For as a
man walketh safely twelve hours of the day, because he walketh in the
light: so as long as the time appointed by my Father for my public
administration lasts, I shall be as secure from the hands of my
enemies, as a man that walks in broad-day is secure from falling. But
as a man stumbleth if he walketh in the night, so when the night of my
passion cometh, then, but not till then, shall I be given up into the
hands of my spiteful foes. Oh what comfort have these words, by the
blessing of God, frequently brought to my soul! How may all Christ's
ministers strengthen themselves with this consideration, that so long
as God hath work for them to do, they are immortal! And if after our
work is over, our Lord should call us to lay down our lives for the
brethren, and to seal the truth of our doctrine with our blood, it
would certainly be the highest honor that can be put upon us. "To you
it is given not only to believe, but also to suffer," says the apostle
to the Philippians.
"These things (the evangelist tells us, ver. 11) said Jesus, and after
that, (to satisfy them that he was not going into Judea without a
proper call) he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth." Our
friend. Amazing! For what is a friend? As one's own soul. How dear
then, and near are true believers to the most adorable Jesus! "Our
friend Lazarus." Still more amazing! Here is condescension, here is
unparalleled familiarity indeed. And what of him? "He sleepeth." A
figurative way of expression. For what is death to the lovers of Jesus
Christ, but a sleep, and a refreshing one too? Thus it is said of
Stephan when he died, that "he fell asleep." Christ indeed died, but
believers only sleep. And "those that sleep in Jesus, (says the
scripture) will God bring with him." "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth." For
though he be dead, I shall raise him from the grave so soon, that his
dying will be only like a person's taking a short sleep. "Our friend
Lazarus sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep." By this
time, one would imagine, our Lord's disciples should have understood
him: But how unwilling are we to believe anything that we do not like.
"Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep he shall do well." Oh
fearful, and slow of heart to believe! How fain would they excuse
themselves from going into Judea, for fear of a few stones! By this way
of talking, how do they in effect impeach their blessed Master's
conduct, and under a pretense of preserving his person, foster, and as
it were plead for their own (though perhaps undiscerned) cowardice and
unbelief? That charity, which hopeth and believeth all things for the
best, teacheth us to judge thus favorably of them. For, "Howbeit Jesus
spake of his death: they thought that he had spoken of taking rest in
sleep." The great and compassionate High priest knowing and remembering
they were but dust, throws a veil of love over their infirmity; and at
length, verse 14, "Saith unto them plainly (for if we wait on Jesus, we
shall know his will plainly, one way or another) Lazarus is dead." And
even then, lest they should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow, he
immediately adds, verse 15, "And I am glad for your sakes that I was
not there, to the intent ye may believe," or have more faith, or have
that faith which you already possess increased and confirmed. A plain
proof this, that all Jesus' delays to answer prayer, are only to
strengthen our faith.
"Nevertheless, says our Lord, let us go unto him." This was a
sufficient hint, if they knew how to improve it, that he intended to do
something extraordinary, though he would not tell them directly what he
intended. For the Lord Jesus will keep those whom he loves, at his
foot, and dependent on him. "Let us go unto him." He still speaks as
though they were his equals. Oh that Christians in general, Oh that
ministers in particular, would learn of him their great exemplar, to
condescend to men of low degree! Well, the secret is now out. Jesus has
said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And what reception does this
melancholy news meet with? With great condolence, especially from
Thomas; for verse 16, "Then said Thomas, who is called Didymus, unto
his fellow disciples, let us also go and die with him;" i.e. according
to some, with Lazarus, with whom, it may be Thomas had contracted an
intimate acquaintance. But granting it was so; shall I commend him for
this passionate expression? I commend him not. Surely he spake
unadvisedly with his lips; "Let us also go and die with him." As though
there was no comfort henceforward to be expected in the world, now his
friend Lazarus was gone. This was a great fault, and yet a fault that
many of God's children run into daily, by mourning for their deceased
relations over-much, like persons that have no hope. But this infirmity
ought not to be indulged. For if our friends and dear relatives are
dead, Jesus, that friend of sinners, is not dead. He will be better to
us than seven sons, and will abundantly supply the place of all
creature-comforts. But I am more inclined to think that the word Him,
refers to Jesus his dear Master; and if so, he is so far from being
blamed, that he spake like a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Let us also
go, that we may die with him. If our dear master will go into Judea,
and hazard his precious life, let us not any longer make such frivolous
excuses, but let us manfully accompany him; and if the Jews should not
only be permitted to stone, but also to kill him, let us also go and
die with him, we cannot die in a better cause. This was a speech worthy
of a Christian hero, and Thomas herein hath set us an example, that we
should follow his steps, by exciting and provoking one another closely
to adhere to the blessed Jesus, especially when his cause and interest
is in any immediate danger. This exhortation, it seems, had a proper
effect. They all went, and as far as we know, cheerfully accompanied
their glorious Master.
How their thoughts were exercised on the road, we are not told. But I
am apt to believe they were a little discouraged when they came to
Bethany. For "When Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had been in the
grave for four days already." And what would it avail them, to come so
many miles only to see a dead man's tomb? But how wisely were all
things ordered by the blessed Jesus, to manifest his glory in the most
extraordinary manner, that not only his disciples might have their
faiths confirmed, but many also of the Jews might believe on him. This
Bethany, it seems, verse 18, "was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen
furlongs off;" or about two miles; and Martha and Mary, being what we
may call people of fashion, and devout likewise; many of the devout,
and we may suppose many of the wealthy Jews came from the metropolis,
as well as other adjacent places, verse 19, to Martha and Mary; not to
pay an idle, trifling, but a serious, profitable visit, "to comfort
them concerning their brother." This was kind and neighborly. To weep
with those that weep, and to visit the afflicted in their distresses,
is one essential branch of true and undefiled religion. And O how sweet
is it when we visit surviving friends, that we have reason to think
that their departed relations died in the Lord! And we can therefore
give them comfort concerning them. For "blessed are the dead, that die
in the Lord, even so saith the Spirit, for they rest from their
labors." This and such-like arguments, no doubt, these visitors made
use of, to comfort Martha and Mary. And indeed they stood in much need
of consolation. For we have reason to suppose, from our Lord'' answer,
"This sickness is not unto death, but the glory of God;" that they had
entertained thoughts of the recovery of their brother. But who can tell
what these two holy souls must feel, when they found their brother did
not recover, but was dead, laid out, and now stinking in the silent
grave! What hard thoughts, without judging them, may we suppose they
entertained concerning Jesus! Think you not that they were ready to cry
out in the language of the prophet, "Thou hast deceived us, and we are
deceived?" But man's extremity is Jesus' opportunity. In the multitude
of the sorrows that they had in their hearts, the news of Christ's
coming refreshes their souls. Somebody or another, commendably
officious [direct, forceful, forward], privately informs Martha of it.
"Who, as soon as she heart that Jesus was come (without making any
apology to the company for her rudeness) went and met him. But Mary sat
still in the house." But why so, Mary? I thought thou hadst been most
forward to attend on Jesus, and thy sister Martha more prone to be
cumbered about the many things of this life. Why sittest thou still? It
may be the news was brought only privately to Martha (for it is plain
from verse 31st, that the Jews who were in the house knew not of it;)
and Martha knowing how our Lord had chid her once, was resolved he
should have no reason on the same account to chide her anymore;
therefore when the news was brought, she would not so much as stay to
inform her sister, but went out to see whether it were true or not, and
if so, as the eldest sister, she would invite the blessed Jesus in. How
happy is it, when Christ's reproofs for past neglects, excite our
future zeal to come out and meet him! Such reproofs are an excellent
oil. Or, it may be, the news reached Mary's ears, as well as Martha's,
but being overcome with sorrow, the thought is too good news to be
true, and therefore sat still in the house. O how careful ought
believers to be, to cherish and maintain, even in the midst of
tribulation, a holy confidence and joy in God! For the joy of the Lord
is a believer's strength. Whereas giving way to melancholy and
unbelief, raises gloom and vapors in the mind, clouds the
understanding, clogs us in the way of duty, and gives the enemy, who
loves to fish in troubled waters, a very great advantage over us.
Mary, perhaps, through the prevalence of this, and being also naturally
of a sedentary disposition, "sat still in the house," while her sister
Martha got the start of her, and went out to meet Jesus. And how does
she accost him? Why, in a language bespeaking the distress of a
burdened and disordered mind. For she said unto Jesus, verse 21, "Lord,
if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." Here is a mixture of
faith and unbelief. Faith made her say, "Lord, if thou hadst been here,
my brother had not died." But unbelief made her confine Christ's power
to his bodily presence. Besides, here was a tacit accusation of the
blessed Jesus of unkindness, for not coming when they sent unto him the
message, "Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick." Once she charged Jesus
with want of care; "Lord, carest thou not, that my sister hath left me
to serve alone?" Now she taxes him with want of kindness. "If thou
hadst been here;" as much as to say, if thou hadst been so kind as to
have come when we sent for thee," "my brother had not died;" and by
saying thus, she does as it were lay her brother's death to Jesus
Christ. O how apt are even those whom Jesus loves in a peculiar manner,
to charge him foolishly! How often does the enmity of our desperately
wicked hearts rise against Christ, when we are under the afflicting
hand of his providence! And not the very best of us frequently tempted,
in such circumstances, to say within ourselves at least, Why does God
thus cruelly deal with us? Why did not he keep off this stroke, seeing
it was in his power to have prevented it? How should we be ashamed and
confounded before him upon this account? How should we pray and labor
to be delivered from this remaining enmity of the heart, and long for
that time, when mortality shall be swallowed up of life, and we shall
never feel one single rising of heart, against a good and gracious, and
all-wise and glorious Redeemer, any more? However, to do Martha
justice, she pretty well recovers herself, verse 22, "But I know, that
even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it to thee."
Whether these words imply an actual belief of our Lord's divinity, is
not certain. To me they do; because we shall presently find, that she
did believe our Lord was the Son of God, and the Messiah which was to
come into the world. Therefore when she said, she knew that whatsoever
he asked of God, God would give it to him, she may be understood as
referring to God the Father, under whom the Lord Jesus acted as
Mediator, though equal to him in respect to his eternal glory and
godhead. This mystery we may well suppose her acquainted with, because
Jesus had been frequently preaching at her house, and consequently, had
opened that mystery unto her. O what a blessed thing must it be to have
such a Mediator! Such an high-priest and intercessor at the Father's
right- hand, that whatever he asks the father in our behalf, he will
give unto us! Jesus takes this kindly at Martha's hand, and passes over
her infirmity. For if the Lord was exact to mark every thing that we
say or do amiss, alas! who could abide? He only calmly says unto her,
verse 23, "Thy brother shall rise again."
Glad tidings these of great joy. This should comfort us concerning our
deceased, pious relations, that ere long they shall rise again, and
soul and body be for ever with the Lord. Howbeit Jesus spake here of an
immediate resurrection, though he did not speak plainly: For Christ
loves to exercise the faith and patience of his disciples, and
frequently leaves them to find out his meaning by degrees. It is best
for us in our present state, that it should be so. In heaven it will be
otherwise. "Thy brother, (says Christ to Martha) shall rise again." She
might immediately have replied, When, Lord? But she fetches a circuit
as it were, and labors to find out the mind of Jesus by degree. "I
know, says she, that he shall rise again at the resurrection of the
last day." These words seem to imply, that she had some distant thought
of our Lord's design to raise her brother now, and that she spoke thus
only to draw our Savior to speak, and tell her plainly whether he meant
to do so or not. Those who are acquainted with Jesus, are taught an
holy art by the blessed Spirit, in dealing with their blessed master.
"I know, says she, he shall rise again at the resurrection of the last
day," (a notable proof this, by the way, that the pious Jews believed
the resurrection of the body). It is just the same as though she had
said, Lord, dost thou mean that my brother shall rise again before that
time? Our savior wisely keeps off from giving her a direct answer, but
chooses rather to preach to her heart. "Jesus said unto her, I am the
resurrection and the life: He that believeth in me, though he were
dead, yet shall he live." On this Martha's faith, if in exercise, might
take hold. O glorious words! How encouraging to you poor sinners lying
in your blood! Though you are dead in trespasses and sins, and might
justly be condemned to die the second death, yet if you believe on the
Lord Jesus you shall live. He adds, "And whosoever believeth in me
shall never die;" never die as to their souls, never die eternally, and
consequently never finally fall away from God. This is an encouraging
soul-comforting declaration for you, O believers, who are thus kept, as
it were, in a garrison, by the mighty power of God, through faith, unto
salvation! "Believest thou this?" says Christ to Martha, verse 26. What
avail all the many great and precious promises of the gospel, unless
they are applied and brought home in particular to each of our souls?
The word does not profit unless it is mixed with faith. We therefore do
well, when we are reading Christ's words, to put this question to
ourselves; O my soul, believest thou this? And well would it be for us,
if upon putting this question to ourselves, we could with the same holy
confidence, and in the same delightful frame, say with Martha, verse
27, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God,
which should come into the world." This I think is a direct confession
of our Lord's divinity. How full was her heart when she spoke these
words! I am persuaded it burnt within her. What a divine warmth had she
contracted by talking with Jesus! How does she long that her sister
might share in her holy joy! For when she had so said, verse 28, "she
went away;" full of love, no doubt, and called Mary her sister, as all
will labor to call their near relations, who have felt the Lord Jesus
to be the resurrection and the life themselves. But Martha took care,
in the midst of her zeal (as we should always do) to behave with
prudence; and therefore "she called her sister secretly, saying, The
master is come, and calleth for thee." The master is come. She need say
no more; Mary knew very well whom she meant. For holy souls easily
understand one another when talking of their master Jesus. The divine
Herbert used to delight (when speaking of Jesus) to say, "My Master;"
perhaps he learned if of Martha, who said here, "The Master is come,
and calleth for thee? Surely a woman of thy exalted piety will not tell
a deliberate lie, and in order to induce thy sister to come to Jesus,
acquaint her that Jesus called her, when indeed he did not. Thou
needest not put thyself to such an expense, or do so much evil, that
good may come of it. Only mention Jesus to Mary, and let her know for a
certainty that the Master id indeed come, and I am persuaded she will
sit no longer. Martha no doubt knew, and therefore I cannot judge her
as some do, as though in her haste she said what was not true. For
Jesus might bid her to call her sister, though it be not directly
mentioned in this chapter. And it is very probably, that our Lord did
inquire after Mary, because she used to take such great delight in
sitting at his feet, and hearing the gracious words that proceeded our
of his mouth. "The Master is come (saith Martha to her sister) and
calleth for thee." And so say I to all poor sinners. Jesus, your Lord
and Master, your Prince and Savior, is come, come unto this lower
world, and is come this day in his word, and by me, who am less than
the least of all his servants, and calleth for you. O that he may also
come in the demonstration of the Spirit, and by his mighty power bow
your stubborn hearts and wills to obey the call, as holy Mary did.
For we are told, verse 29, "When she heard that, she rose quickly, and
came to Jesus." Sinners, when will you do so? Or why do you not do so?
How know you whether Jesus will call for you any more, before he calls
you by death to judgment? Linger, O linger no longer. Fly, fly for your
lives. Arise quickly, and with Mary come to Jesus. She obeyed the call
so very speedily, that her haste was taken notice of by her visitors.
"The Jews then, who were with her in the house, and comforted her, when
they saw Mary that she rose up hastily (without any ceremony at all)
and went out, followed her, saying, she goeth to the grave, to weep
there." How wisely does our Lord permit and order all this, to bring
the Jews out to behold the wonderful miracle that he was about to
perform! Little did Mary and the Jews think for what end they were thus
providentially led out. But when Jesus hath work to be done, he will
bring souls to the place where he intends to call them, in spite of men
or devils. But how does Mary behave when she comes to Jesus? We may be
assured, not without great humility. No wonder then we are told, verse
32, that "when she saw him, she immediately fell down at his feet (a
place Mary had been used to, and in an agony of grief, says, as her
sister had done before her) Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother
had not died." Poor Mary! Her concern was great indeed. Though she was
a holy woman, she could not well bear the loss of her brother. She knew
very well, that the world would miss him, and no doubt he had been a
kind and tender brother to her. But I am afraid she was sinfully
overcome with overmuch sorrow. However, had we been there, the sight
must have affected us. It seems to have affected the visitors,
especially the blessed Jesus. He, instead of blaming her, for her
tacitly accusing him of unkindness, and for not coming to her brother's
relief, pities and sympathizes both with Mary and her weeping friends!
"When Jesus saw her weep, and the Jews also weeping, he groaned in his
Spirit, and was troubled." Troubled: Not with any sinful perturbation
we may be assured: nothing of that nature could possibly be in his
sinless soul. And, therefore, some have judiciously enough compared the
trouble our Lord now felt, to some crystal water shaken in a glass or
bottle; you may shake it, but there will be no sediment: it will be
crystal water still. "He groaned in is spirit." I do not see why this
may not be understood of his praying in the spirit, which maketh
intercession for the saints, with ajlalhvtoi" stenagmoi'", "groanings
that cannot be uttered." [Rom. 8:26] Methinks I see the immaculate Lamb
of God, secretly, but powerfully agonizing with his Father; his heart
is big with sympathy! At length, out of the fullness of it, he said,
ver. 34, "Where have ye laid him? They (I suppose Mary and Martha) say
unto him, Lord, come and see." He came, he say, "He wept," ver. 35. It
is put in a verse by itself, that we might pause a while, and ask, why
Jesus wept?
He wept, to show us, that is was no sin to shed a tear of love and
resignation at the grave of a deceased friend; he wept, so see what
havoc sin had made in the world, and how it had reduced man, who was
originally little lower than the angels, (by making him subject to
death) to a level with the beasts that perish: but above all, he wept
at the foresight of the people's unbelief; he wept, to think how many
then present, would not only not believe on, but would be hardened, and
have their prejudices increased more and more against him, though he
should raise Lazarus from the dead before their eyes. Well then may
ministers be excused, who, whilst they are preaching, now and then drop
a few tears, at the consideration of their sermons being, through the
perverseness and unbelief of many of their audience, a savor of death
unto death, instead of a savor of life unto life. Upon a like occasion
Jesus wept. What an affecting sight was here! Let us for a while
suppose ourselves placed amidst these holy mourners; let us imagine
that we see the sepulcher just before us, and the Jews, and Mary, and
the blessed Jesus weeping round it. Surely, the most obdurate of us all
must drop a tear, or at least be affected with the sight; we find that
it affected those who were really by-standers: for then said the Jews,
ver. 36, "Behold, how he loved him." And did they say, Behold, how he
loved him, when Jesus only shed a few tears over the grave of his
departed Lazarus? Come then, O sinners, and view Christ dying and
pouring out his precious heart's blood for you upon an accursed tree,
and then surely you must needs cry out, Behold, how he loved us!
But alas, though all were affected, yet, it seems, all were not well
affected at seeing Jesus weep! For we are told, ver. 37 that some of
them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, have
caused that even this man should not have died?" One would imagine,
that Satan himself could scarce have uttered a more perverse speech:
every word is full of spite and rancor. Could not this man, this
fellow, this deceiver, who pretends to say, that he opened the eyes of
the blind, have caused that this man, whom he seems to love so, should
not have died? Is not this a sufficient proof that he is a cheat? Have
we catched him at last? Is it likely that he really helped others, when
he could not help his own friend? -- O how patient ought the servants
of our Lord to be! And how may they expect to be censured, and have
their good deeds questioned, and lessened, when their blessed Master
has been thus treated before them! However, Jesus will do good,
notwithstanding all these slights put upon him; and therefore, again
groaning in himself, "he cometh to the grave; it was a cave, (or vault,
as is customary in great families) and a stone lay upon it; Jesus said,
ver. 39, "Take ye away the stone." How gradually does our Lord proceed,
in order to engage the people's attention the more! Methinks I see them
all eye, all ear, and eagerly waiting to see the issue of this affair.
But Martha now returning with the rest of the company, seems to have
lost that good frame which she was in when she went to call her sister;
"She saith unto him, (ver. 39) Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he
hath been either dead or buried for four days." O the dismal effects of
carnal reasoning! How naturally do we fall into doubts and fears, when
we have not our eye simply directed to the blessed Jesus! Martha,
instead of looking up to him, looks down into the grace, and poring